Gas-generator.



10.836,495. PATENTED NOV. zo, 1906. C. L. GBRRARD.

GAS GENERATOR. APPLIGATION-ILBD PEB.23.1906.

W/TNESSES.' f

- A 7TORNEYS rEn s'rArEsp CLARENCE L. GEEEAED., 'OE COLUMBUS?, NEsEAsKA,

GAS-GEN ERATOR.

Specification. of Letters Patent.v

Patented Nov. 20, 1906.

Original application filed October 18, 1905, Serial No. 283,248. Divided and this application led February 23, 1906.

' Serial No. 302,414.

To a/ZZ whom, may concern.'

Be' itknown that l,`CLAEENoE L. GERRARD, a citizen of' the United States, and a resident of Columbus, in the county of Platte and tate of Nebraska, have invented a new and' Improved Gas-Generator, .of which the following is full, clear, and exact description.

The present application. is a division of my former application, Serial No. 283,248, tiled October 18', 1905.l

The inventionl relatesv to Vcertain peculiar features of construction and arrangement of parts concerned with-an apparatus for generating nitric oXid 'or other gas, all of lwhich side edge thereof.

wheat or ilour wherein the nitric oxid or other. gas is .mixed with air and the` mixture' brought into intimate association with the flour or wheat while'the gases are in a nascent condition.

IQindicates an air-supplypi e, and 20indicates the discharge-pipe Jfor t' e nitric oxid orother gas.'` The pipe 1,9 has at its end a coupling 22, which is engaged with a pipe-v section 23, secured in the generator-head 24, the pipe 20 passing from the head 24 opposite the pipe 23. Said union 22 also secures' in position within the pipe-section 23 a tapering nozzle 25, which causes the air to be' isa charged into thehead 24, and thus causing the velocity of the air to increase by expansion asit passes 'through the head into the pipe 20. Said head 24 supports a boX or casing 26, which, as best shown in Fig. 4, has an opening'27 in its top, this opening passing from the top 'oi' the casing outward to the Matching with the open-` ing 27 is anopening' 28 in the head 24. (See Fig. 3.) Oneside of the casing or box 26 is open, as indicated at 29 in Figs. l and 2, and this opening is adaptedto be closed by a semicircular door 30. `(See Fig. 2.) The door 30 has a lip 3l at its upper edge adaptedv to and resting on the' close lower end thereof,

' close theopenin 27, the lip being elevated so as also to close t (See Fig. 3.) Y.

32 indicates a jug or receptacle for holding the nitric-acid solution. This receptacle is formed, preferably, of poicelai'n or some other refractory material and has an open neck 33, which is adapted to :lit in the opening'28 in the under side ofthe head 24. Said receptacle or jug 32 is placed in position in the case 26 by opening the door 30 and mov-- ing the receptacle 32 sidewise 'into the case, the 'neck 33 sliding through the openings 27 and 28 into the position shown in Figs. l and 3.

Fitting loosely in the neck 33 of the receptacle 32 is a porcelain or other acid-resisting tube 34, which has an open upper end and a flange 35'surrounding it, which flange rests on the neck 33 oi the jug; The lower end oi" the tube 34 is closed, and saiditube is provided with a lower opening 36, an upper opening 37, and two intermediate openings 38. These openings communicate with the interior of the jug or receptacle 32. At itsu per side the head'24 is provided with a stu nge opening28 in the head2-4.

vbox and gland 39, through which the metallic rod 40 passes loosely, said rod projecting through the head downward into the tube 34 the arrangement being such that during the operation of the apparatus the rod 40 is free kvto move downward into the tube 34 by force of grav'ity'as fast as the said rod is attacked and disintegrated by the action of the acid thereon, 41 indicates a thumb-screw by means oi whichl the rod 40 may vbe held against this movement when the device is not in operation.

n -Upon supplying the receptacle 32 with nitric-acid solution and introducing the rod 40 into the tube 34v the solution will enter the tube 34 through the opening 36, and in attacking the rod 40 the gases will be generated which will passup into the head through the tube 34, mixing with the air therein.v The rod 40 may be oi various metals7` among which may be mentioned galvanized iron. As is well known, in order that the acid'may readily attack the rod of iron or other. metal it is necessary that such attacking acid be maintained at a temperature considerably higher than Jthe no'rmal temperature of said acid.. This is especially true where the apparatus is located in an unheated room dur l fed into the acid contained in said vessel.

ing the colder seasons of tlieyear. VInmany forms of apparatus it is', therefore, necessary to apply heat from external sources to the solution both at the beginning of the operation and continuously during the generation of the gas. With my apparatus, the generation of the gas having once been started the heat deiclopedby the chemical reaction is conserved and is sufficient to maintain the acid surrounding the rod continuously at a temperature at which it readily attacks the metal. The acid within the tube 34 is thus automatically kept at a much higher temperature than the main'body of the solution. The reactions in the lower part of the tube 34'develop heat, which causes the generation of gas and also causes the solution to circulate through the opening 36 and up out of theopenings 38.

he upper opening 37 allows for overflow should the solution rise excessively in the tube and prevents the solution from entering the head 24 of the apparatus. The air passing through the head -24 will gather the lgas generated, and the mixture will then ass through .the pipe 2O to the desired point.

n connection with the manner of feeding the rod i0 it will be seen that said rod rests by' force of gravity on the closed lower end of the tube, and as fast as the rod is disintegrated it will fall' into the tube. In this manner the rod is kept submerged ata uniform depth, and a uniform generation of gas results.

Having thus described the preferred forin of my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A gas-generating apparatus comprising a receptacle for acid, an open-mouthed tube havin its lower end projecting into the acid in sai receptacle, said tube having a portion constructed and arranged to support a metallic rodinclosed therein, said-tube having perforations therein at various distances along its length, and a generator-head inclosing the upper end of the tube, said Ahead having an opening through which said rod is fed into` said tube.

'2. The combination with an acid-containing'vessel having an open mou th, of a generator-head inclosing said mouth, said head having an opening, in alineinent with said' mouth, through which a .metallic rod may be 3. The combination with an acid-containing vessel, of an open-mouth tubel` projecting into the acid in sai-d vessel, the submerged end ofusaid tube having an opening therein, and a generator-head inclosing the mouth of said tube, said head having an'opening in alineinent with said mouth through which a metallic rod may be fed into the acid contained in said tube, said tube serving to support the lower end of the rod and to conserve the heat resulting from the chemical reactlon of the acid on the metal.

4. T he ooiiibination with an acid-containing vessel, of an open-mouth tube supported about the opening in said vessel, and projecting into the acid contained therein, and a generator-head inclosing the mouth of Said tube, said head having an opening in alinenient with said mouth, through which a inetallic rod maybe fed into the tube, said tube .being provided with aplurality of perforations, one in its submerged portion to permit the 'flow of acid into the tube and another above the surface of the acid to prevent the outiiow of the acid through the linouthuof the tube.

5. The combination of a generator-head having an. opening extending from its bottom to one side of the head, av case having an opening in its top registering with the open-` 6. The combination of a generator-head having an opening extending from' the bottom to one side of the head, a case supported by the geiierator-head and having an opening in its top registering'with the opening in the head, the side of the case having an opening therein, a closure for said. opening, a receptacle for an acid solution having a neck adapted to fit in the opening in the bottom of the generator-head, a peiforate tube of acid-resisting material fitting loosely in the neck of the receptacle and having an open upperend, communicating with the generator-head, the said tube being closed lat its lower end and extending into the acid solution in saidreceptacle, the said generatorhead having 'an opening in its upper side in alineinent with the said tube, and a metallic rod resting at its lower end on the bottoni of said tube, and extending loosely through the said opening in the upper side of the generator-head.

7 Ageia-generator comprising a generatorhead having an inlet -pipe connected with one side thereof, and an outlet-pipe leading from the opposite side, the said generatorhead having an opening in its bottom, a oase supported bythe generator-head and having an opening in its top registering with the opening in the bottom of the generator-head, a receptacle for acid solution in said case and having -an open neck adapted to fit in the opening in the: bottom of the head, a tube located in the receptacle and having an o'pen upper end communicating with. the generator-head, the tube being provided with a flange surrounding the open upper end and resting on the neck ofthe said receptacle, the said tube being closed at its lower end, and

rIO

provided with perforations in'its sides', the l said generator-head having an opening in its top in alinement with the said tube7 and a metallic rod passing loosely through 'said opening and extending through -thev head into the said tube and resting on the closed-lower end thereof. a 8. A gas-generator comprising a generatorhead having an opening in its bottom, a case supported by the generator-head and having an'4 opening in its top registering with th'e openmg in the bottom ofthe generator-head, a receptacle for acid solution in saidl case and having. an open neck adapted to fit in the opening inthe bottom'oil the head, a tube eX- I5 tending into the receptacle and resting at its open upper end on the neck of the receptacle, the tube having side openings and a closed lower end capable of supporting a metallic rod,` and means on the head for loosely holdzo ing the rod in place.

In' testimony whereof I have signed my name to thisspeciication in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' CLARENCE L., GERHARD Witnessesi.

M. BRUGGER, V.- H.4 'WEAVER 

